Self-cleaning salt shaker and the like



Oct. 9, 1928.

1,687,155 J. CAYOT SELF CLEANING SALT SHAKER AND THE LIKE Filed March 25, 1925- /4 Inf /7 IN V EN TOR.

MA@ iff/5%@ A TT ORNEY Patented Oct. 9, 1928.

UNITED. IsTATEsz rosEE cAYoT, or OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA. L

SELF-CLEANING SAI/rv SHAKER AND THE LIKE.

Application led-March 25, 1926. Serial No. 97,209. v

My invention relates broadly to shakers for salt, pepper, sugar and the like, and it has` special reference to self-cleaning shakers and in which the material to be dispensed Ais also agitated so as to prevent lumping therein.

In shakers of this class heretofore constructed, the material, even after being agitated,

often clogs the p-erforations in the top of the shaker. The user is then obliged to resort tov pins or other slender objects for cleaning the perforations in order to effect the dispensation of the material from the shaker. Such pins or objects are not always at hand, and, even if they should be, it always takes some time before they can be brought into use for the aforementioned cleaning purpose. Much yannoyance is in this way caused the users of the shakers and also embarrassment.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a shaker of'this class with means contained in the shaker for cleaning the perforations in the top thereof, and with means in the body of the shaker for agitating thevmaterial therein, so that the cleaning means and theagitating means will always be at hand and shus the user of the shaker need lose no time in applying them. f

Another object of the invention is to provide a shaker with a perforated top rotatably mounted on the end of the body ofthe shaker and to mount within the shaker such means for cleaning the perforations as are operated simply by a rotative movement of thetop. f

A further object4 of the invention is to mount loosely between the rotatable top of the shaker and the body of thel shaker a perforated cleaning block provided with projections adapted to register with the perforations in the top, and to `provide meansy carried by the top for causingthe block to rise, so that, when the top is rotated to one position, the projections will register with and pierce the perforations in the top forthe cleaning thereof, and so that, when the top has been rotated to another position, the. material to be dispensed from the shaker will be permitted to pass through the perforations in the block and thence dispensed from the shaker through the perforations in the top.

' A further object of the invention is to make the perforations in the top cone-shaped and to provide the cleaning block with cone-shaped projections adapted to'. be guided into and then register with and pierce the perforations in the top for the cleaning thereof by a rota-V tive movement of the top, so that the block is Vthereby preventedV from binding in the top and thus the'dispensing of the material fromr the shaker is always assured.

A still further object of the invention is to mount upon the upper end of the body of a shaker a perforated top o f a resilient material, and to provide the topv with kerfs in the side walls thereof, so that vthe to'p can easily be slipped over and snapped onto or removed from the shaker and thereby access to the interior of the shaker is facilitated.

y@ther objects and advantages ofmy invention will be understood rfrom the followlng detailed description thereof and having reference to the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in which Figure l is an elevationy of a shaker constructed inY accordance with my invention. Parts areshown in central, vertical section to show the rela-tion of'each to the other. In this View the shaker is shown `as operable in the ordinary way, that is, shake it andthe contents will sift from its top.

Fig. 2' is a view similar to Fig. l with the exception that the shaker top and the agit-ator secured thereto have been turned ninety degrees to eEect a vertical'movement of the cleaning block. The latter is shown in pierc-y ing engagement with the holes in the top.

Fig. 3 is a plan of the upper portion of the shaker as shown in Fig. 2. y F Fig. 4 is an elevation of the top only, of

Fig.` 5 is a plan of the cleaning block per se, and Fig. 6 is a central sect-ion through it.

Fig. 7 is a plan of the cleaning block seated upon its support. Part of the block is broken away to clearly show the plan of the opening in the support.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of a fragment of the shaker top and the cleaning block in engagement. These elements are shown as being formed of sheet material.

The numeral 10 indicates as a wholethe present, preferred embodiment of my invention of a shakerrfor salt, sugar, pepper and the like. This shaker l0 comprises a containeror body 11 of any suitable material, such as glass, and is adapted vto hold therein the material to be dispensed, and the container is at its upper end provided with an open support 12, which. may be made homogeneous with the container, or as a separate piece and secured thereto so as to be` integral therewith. The support has peripherally formed thereon a curved or beaded portion 13, on which is adapted to lit snugly the curved or beaded portion lll of a perforated top made of a resilient suitable material, such as celluloid. rlhe side walls of the top are provided with. kerfs 16 so that resilient tongues 17 are thereby formed for snugly engaging the support and thus removably and rotatablyy holding the top on the support.

Connected with the top and'adapted to enA tend through the support and into the container 11, is an agitator 18 also of Celluloid if desired, and it comprises a. flat member hayL ing notched edges 9 for Acutting and breaking the contents of the container. The agitator is provided with flanges 19 at its upper end just below the top of the support.

A cleaning block 21 having a central opening 22 therethrough loosely encompasses the neck of the agitator, and upon the underside of the block a pair of cams 23 is provided for engagement by the flanges. The opening in the support is preferably cross-shaped, is most clearly shown in Fig. 7, so asto form edges 24 adapted to be engaged by the cams for holding the block in a non-rotative position. ln the block are large perforations 25 for the unobstructed passage therethrough of the material to be dispensed, and the block has on its upper side projections 26, preferably cone-shaped and adapted to register with and to pierce the perforations in the top, and which perforations are preferably also cone-shaped, f

Normally, the cleaning block 21 is adapted by its own weight to rest on the top of the support 12, and, when it is desired to dispense the contents from the shaker 10, my improved shaker functions in the same manner as an ordinary shaker and permits its contents to pass through the perforations 25 in the block and thence through the perforated top. Should the perforations in the top become clogged and require cleaning the user simply turns the top approximately ninety degrees on the support, thus causing the flanges 19 to engage the cams 23. The block will thereby be forced to'rise and the project-ions 26, by means of their conical shape, will be guided into the corresponding conical perforations in the top, whereby registration and the consequent piercing of the perforations will be accomplished and the top cleaned from the. clogging material.

The cams have a suflicient play between the edges 24: of the opening in the support for allowing the block to be freely moved to or from its cleaning position, so that, when the cleaning has been accomplished, the user by again turning the top approximately ninety degrees releases the block from its cleaning position and thereby again restores the shaker to a. condition for dispensing the niaterial therefrom. Y

1While l' have shown the agitator as having a pair of flanges and the block as being provided with a corresponding pair of cams so that in such an instance it requires a. rotative movement of approximately ninety degrees of the'top for raising the block to the cleaning position, it is obvious that this arrangement is only illustrative and that may provide the agitator with a different number of flanges and the block with a corresponding number of cams, so that a. rotative movement of the top of only a few degreesmay be sulficicnt for moving ythe block to or from its cleaning position.

F rom the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings vthe advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art t-owhich the invention appertains, and while l have described the principle of operation, together with the device which l now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, l desire to have it understood that the device shown is mere ly illustrative and Vthat such changes may be made when desired, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States the following:

1. A shaker of the class described, comprising a container adapted to hold the material to be dispensed and provided with an open support at its upper end; a perforated top rotatably secured on the support; an agi tator secured to the top and adapted to eX- tend into the container and havingv flanges thereon; a cleaning block loosely mounted on the agitator and adapted to rest on the support and being provided with cams, the block having projections thereon adapted to register with and to extend into the perforations inthe top for the cleaning thereof, and the block having openings therein for the passage therethrough of the material in the container, the cams being adapted to engagethe edges of the opening in the support for holding the block in a non-rotative position, and the flanges being adapte-dto engage the cams for raising the block tothe registering and cleaning position by a rotative movement of the top on said support.

2. In a shaker, the combination ofa container having an open support at its upper end, a perforated top mounted on said container over said support, a cleaning block mounted for vertical movement between said top and said support, projections on the upper surface of said block and being' adapted to register with the perforations in said top,

a cam on the underside of said block, and means secured to said top andengageable With said cam for raising said block to bring said projections into engagement With the perforations when said top is rotated.

3. In combination, a receptacle, a cap revolvable thereon formed With dispensing perforations in a portion thereof, an element arranged for projection transversely of said lcap portion and into the perforations from Without the same for cleaning the same, and means revolving With the cap operative to effect said projection of the said element.

4. In combination, a receptacle, a cap revolvable thereon formed with dispensing perorations, an element adapted for projection into the perforations from entirely Without the same by and upon a. rotative displacement of said cap for cleaning the perforations, and means revolving With the cap actuating the said element, the latter means including a member extending into and anchoring in loose material contained in the receptaele for yieldingly opposing revolving motion of the cap.

5. In combination, a receptacle, a cap revolvalole thereon formed With dispensing perforations in a portion thereof, an element arranged for projection transversely of said portion and into the perforation for cleaning the same, means for limiting the motion of the element Within the contines of the cap, and means revolving With the cap operative to eifect said projection of said element.

6. In combination, a receptacle, a cap revolvable thereon formed With dispensing perforations, an element arranged for projection through the perforations axially there of for cleaning the same, means holding the element against revolving motion, and means revolving With the ycap operative to actuate the said elementY by and upon a rotative displacement of the cap.

7. In combination, a receptacle having an open top formed to provide a seat, an element resting thereon formed with projections in the top thereoia cap formedv with perforations normally not registering With the projections, and means associated With the capv raising the said element When the cap is turned to cause the perforations to register With the projections for projecting the latter into the former.

8. In combination, `a receptacle having anv open top formed to provide a seat, an element resting thereon formed Withv projecf tions in the top thereof, a cap formed with perforations normally not registering with the projections, means associated With the Josnr oAYoT. 

